BHUBANESWAR: Religious fervour prevailed across the state on the auspicious occasion of Maha Shivaratri on Wednesday.
Devotees in large numbers gathered at Shri Lokanath temple in Puri, while similar crowd was seen at the shrines of Balikapileswar, Beleswar, Jodalinga, and Bhavakundaleswar.
After the celebration of Pankaujhalla Ekadasi, priests presented Lord Shiva with a special khichdi bhog. Temples were adorned with lights for the celebrations, and a mela was organised near Shri Lokanath temple by religious organisations.
At Gupteswar in Koraput, more than one lakh devotees from Odisha, Chhattisgarh, and Andhra Pradesh assembled. Before the puja, pilgrims tonsured their heads and took bath in the Saberi river. Many pilgrims accessed the place by trekking the hilly terrains of Gupteswar forest and passing the Saberi river from neighbouring Chattisgarh.
For the ‘Jagar Mela’, thousands of people travelled from Odisha and Andhra Pradesh to Mahendragiri hill in the Gajapati district. Located 1,500 metre above sea level, this shrine is home to the Gokarneswar temple. To ensure safety, seven police platoons, four DSPs, eleven inspectors, forty-six SI, and additional revenue, forest, and fire brigade officials were under the supervision of Gajapati Collector Bijay Kumar Dash and SP Jatindra Panda.
Meanwhile in Sundargarh, devotees waited in lines since wee hours at the Vedvyas temple complex located on the outskirts of Rourkela. More than 700 stalls set up by vendors from all across the nation marked the start of the 119th ‘Maha Shivaratri Vedvyas Mela’.
Electronic surveillance system was used by the Rourkela police, and barricade was constructed around the Brahmani river ghat. The ODRAF and fire department were on standby to ensure safety of the people.
Throughout the state, district administrations coordinated plans for smooth darshan, traffic control, and the supply of basic facilities like rest rooms and drinking water.
Similarly, Shiva temples in Jajpur, such as Trilochaneswar and Laliteswar temples in Jajpur town, the Mahavinayak Temple in Chandikhole, the Baruneswar temple in Arei, and the Gokarneswar temple in Dharmasala, drew large number of devotees. Flowers and coloured lights were used to decorate the shrines in Jaraka, Bari, Sukinda, and other places.
